Threat of a drought in the north is over, agency says

Staff writer, with CNA

Fri, Apr 26, 2013 - Page 3

A drought that was threatening parts of the north of the nation is over for now, but conservation measures introduced last month in Greater Kaohsiung will remain in force, the Water Resources Agency said yesterday.

As a sign of the improvement in the overall situation, a special task force at the Ministry of Economic Affairs to tackle the looming drought would be disbanded today, the agency said.

Water Resources Agency Director-General Yang Wei-fu (楊偉甫) said the water shortage in Taoyuan County and Linkou (林口), New Taipei City (新北市), which are fed by the Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫), has eased after the rainfall of recent days.

As a result, the first-phase water conservation measures in place since March 15 would be lifted today, Yang said.

As of yesterday, the water level of the reservoir had risen to 235.97m from 230.26m on April 10, representing an increase of about 34 million cubic meters of water, the agency said.

In addition to household use, levels are now sufficient to supply the water for the year’s first crop of rice, the agency added.

However, in the south, water levels at the Renyitan Reservoir (仁義潭水庫) and the Zengwun Reservoir (曾文水庫) are still below 50 percent, the agency said.

That means first-phase water conservation measures introduced in Greater Kaohsiung on March 22 would remain, the agency said.

Meanwhile, the Central Weather Bureau forecast that temperatures across the nation would drop significantly from yesterday as a weather front and seasonal winds move in.

The front would also bring a higher probability of rain and thunderstorms, the bureau said.